Immigration and border security in Texas

Immigration and border security issues dominated the news in Texas for much of 2014. A flood of undocumented immigrants, many of them unaccompanied minors from Central America, crossed the Rio Grande in South Texas. They were met by a multitude of law enforcement officers and national guard troops who were part of a $17 million a month border surge called Operation Strong Safety that attempted to slow down the illegal crossings. When President Barack Obama signed an executive order to shield millions of unauthorized immigrants from deportation, Texas promptly sued the Obama administration. From Roma to Brownsville and back to Austin, I photographed the people involved in this struggle.

Department of Public Safety trooper Jeff Evans, a helicopter tactical flight officer, stands by as a DPS helicopter takes off from Anzalduas Park in McAllen to patrol the Rio Grande on July 24, 2014. In response to a flood of undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America, Gov. Rick Perry ordered Operation Strong Safety, a $17 million a month, surge of DPS troopers and National guard troops to help local law enforcement secure the border. Photos by Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Border Patrol agents search a trailer on the banks of the Rio Grande in Roma for a person they saw crossing the river from Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico, July 23, 2014.

Empty cans of infant formula are left behind near the Rio Grande in Granjeno across the river from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on July 24, 2014. A wave of unaccompanied minors and women with young children crossed at Granjeno over the summer and eagerly surrendered to Border Patrol agents.

A masked Department of Public Safety trooper prepares to patrol the Rio Grande between McAllen and Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, on a boat with M240 machine guns on July 23, 2014. The heavily armed patrol boats are a display of overwhelming force.

A DPS patrol boat with masked troopers manning M240 machine guns makes several passes at two men in park on the shore of the Rio Grande in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, across from McAllen on July 23, 2014.

Jorge Luis Espinoza, 20, a Mexican commercial fisherman, surrenders to Texas game wardens while being caught illegally collecting oysters on the Texas side of the Rio Grande near Brownsville on September 24, 2014. Texas game wardens have an increasing role in securing the border. Between June 1 and Oct. 20, every one of Texas’ 503 wardens was called to the border, some more than once at a cost to taxpayers of $1.75 million beyond regular salaries.

Texas game warden Will Plumas arrests Mexican commercial fishermen Miguel Leyva, 19, left, and and Christian Alvarez, 25, for illegally collecting oysters on the Texas side of the Rio Grande near Brownsville on September 24, 2014. They were brought to a justice of the peace who found them guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

Under the watchful eyes of a Border Patrol agent, people play in the Rio Grande in Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico, across from Roma on July 23, 2014.

Lorenzo Anzaldua loads a shotgun for protection against cougars while visiting his aunt’s property where he grew up on the banks of the Rio Grande in Granjeno on July 24, 2014. Hundreds of undocumented immigrants crossed into Texas on his family’s land.

Fidencio Cassio of Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico, peers out of his cell in the Dimmit County Jail in Carrizo Springs on June 2, 2014. Cassio was arrested for being in the U.S. illegally.

Ludwig Barragan straightens the Mexican flag before a news conference at the Mexican Consulate in Austin regarding President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration on November 24. Mexican Consul General Rosalba Ojeda welcomed Obama’s executive action to shield unauthorized immigrants from deportation, but also warned the community of potential frauds they may encounter while seeking legal assistance.

Residents packed the Austin City Hall media room June 26 to show their support of a city council resolution that would put Austin on record as opposing a controversial program aimed at helping federal agents identify jail inmates for possible deportation. Throughout 2014, activists demanded Travis County to end its participation in the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Secure Communities program.

Antonio Ortiz, who was granted political asylum after being persecuted by guerrillas in Colombia, rubs his eyes as he rests at Casa Marianella in Austin on February 13, 2014. The shelter helps immigrants with housing, food, clothing and case management. Photos of some former clients are posted on the wall.

A man in Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico, wades into the Rio Grande late at night on July 23, 2014.

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